Forcing new leaves
Moderator: Chris_W
Forcing new leaves
Is there a way to force a new leaf to come out on a houseplant to where you want it? If I keep pinching off the new leaves at the end of the stem, will this force the new growth to come out else where? If I put a notch in on a certain place then on a stem, would it come out there? I am trying to make a grape leaf ivy to grow new stems from toward the bottom. How about an Umbrella plant?
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Midnight Reiter Too
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petal*pusher
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Carol.....the grape ivy will only produce NEW leaves at the END of the vine. (terminal bud) Pinching back one of the vines will encourage new growth (leaves) only at the nodes at the very end. Be careful not to exhaust your poor little plant by repeatedly removing those stem tips! By cutting your entire plant back severely, you would encourage new growth....but be patient for a nice "full" appearance!
If your intention is to make your plant "look" fuller at the base, you could carefully tuck in one or two smaller, shorter plants.....or you could do like a friend of mine; she inserts a small glass of water near the base, then puts in any cuttings she has removed. She keeps a close eye on keeping water in the glass.....her cuttings develop roots, then she inserts them near the base of the "Mother" plant!
Your umbrella tree (Scheffeleria) actually grows like a shrub....with leaves being produced on the ends of the branches. They can easily become spindley if not given the correct amount of light. They can be cut back to encourage new growth....but it will most likely come only at the branch tips.....or at previous nodes along the main stem. I'd be careful about "notching" the main stem....you don't want to expose cambium layers to disease, and add stress to your plant. Hope this helps.....p
If your intention is to make your plant "look" fuller at the base, you could carefully tuck in one or two smaller, shorter plants.....or you could do like a friend of mine; she inserts a small glass of water near the base, then puts in any cuttings she has removed. She keeps a close eye on keeping water in the glass.....her cuttings develop roots, then she inserts them near the base of the "Mother" plant!
Your umbrella tree (Scheffeleria) actually grows like a shrub....with leaves being produced on the ends of the branches. They can easily become spindley if not given the correct amount of light. They can be cut back to encourage new growth....but it will most likely come only at the branch tips.....or at previous nodes along the main stem. I'd be careful about "notching" the main stem....you don't want to expose cambium layers to disease, and add stress to your plant. Hope this helps.....p
forcing new leaves
Hi Carol - Your scheffelera will "probably" pop new leaves if you cut the current foliage off. Most of them back bud like crazy in the spring of the year.
Try waiting until you are into spring weather with stable temps and put the plant outside in morning sun, afternoon shade. It should probably be repotted prior to the move outside with some time release fertilizer added to the mix. This severe pruning might also force the roots to produce new foliage from the base of the plants. In addition to the time release fertilizer, a weekly liquid fertilizer will also help pop new foliage.
jay dee
Try waiting until you are into spring weather with stable temps and put the plant outside in morning sun, afternoon shade. It should probably be repotted prior to the move outside with some time release fertilizer added to the mix. This severe pruning might also force the roots to produce new foliage from the base of the plants. In addition to the time release fertilizer, a weekly liquid fertilizer will also help pop new foliage.
jay dee
The one stalk that I have is about 2 feet high. I cut off the tip and it just sprouted a new stem off the side of the top. So now it isn't going to grow straight anymore. I would imagine I will always have to cut the new growth at the top otherwise, it will grow lopsided. Are you sure if I cut it back even more, it will try to grow new shoots from the ground? I wonder what Chris thinks?
forcing new leaves
Carol, I won't guarantee anything in the plant world. The info I relayed is what works for me. If the roots are healthy, yes, probably, maybe, they should pop new growth at the base. If you cut the tip of the branch/top off and you popped new foliage, then cutting it lower should make the foliage appear again.
You say the plant is 2' tall - is the current stalk woody or still tender growth. Are you growing this plant under lights or is it growing in very low light conditions? This would not be the best time of year for you to try this IF growing under low light. Spring, with new potty medium, outside and super feeding it, should bring the best results.
I see you live in ND, when the plant has popped new foliage, you can move the plant to full sun and you should get tremendous growth. These are full sun plants that grow in equatorial countries.
jay dee
You say the plant is 2' tall - is the current stalk woody or still tender growth. Are you growing this plant under lights or is it growing in very low light conditions? This would not be the best time of year for you to try this IF growing under low light. Spring, with new potty medium, outside and super feeding it, should bring the best results.
I see you live in ND, when the plant has popped new foliage, you can move the plant to full sun and you should get tremendous growth. These are full sun plants that grow in equatorial countries.
jay dee
I cut the tip off about two months ago. It just came right back, but off to the side. I was thinking that you can not get an umbrella plant to sprout from the base of the plant? I have it next to window and it gets bright light, but not direct light. I thought it was not necessary as they say these are also good for an office. I do not want to put this outdoors as I do not want to take the chance that I would end up with bugs. I know that aphids like them. Once I found some on the plant while indoors and I have no idea how they got there as I did not have them on any other plant. We have had nice sunny weather here for about the last 3 weeks.
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petal*pusher
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Hi again! What jay dee is saying is that if you cut off all the leaves.....new ones will grow at the same leaf nodes along the main stem.....but unless you cut your plant SEVERELY back to make him a shortie-guy.....those new leaves will still only form at the TIPS of that main stem, or where previous leaves have been.
It's not unusual to severely cut back a scheffleria.....even to just a few inches high.....just make sure to leave a couple leaves so the plant can still perfom photosynthesis!
You might try the old "plant another shorter plant around the base" trick here too! It would fill in the barren area pretty good!......p
It's not unusual to severely cut back a scheffleria.....even to just a few inches high.....just make sure to leave a couple leaves so the plant can still perfom photosynthesis!
You might try the old "plant another shorter plant around the base" trick here too! It would fill in the barren area pretty good!......p
forcing new leaves
On a scheff, you really don't need to leave a leaf for the plant. The energy is stored in the thick stem and the roots. On most ficus, you must leave a couple of leaves, but not the scheff.
I checked my two scheff bonsai today when I put them outside to sunbathe. One has new foliage coming out of the root area and one doesn't. I am getting ready to cut both of these back severely when it is time to put them out for the summer. This cutting back will encourage new growth and the leaves will be noticeably smaller (desired in bonsai) but by the end of summer, back to normal size leaves once again.
Scheff are full sun plants, the hotter the better. A hosta will tolerate and grow, slowly, in all shade, but they do better in partial sun. The Scheff will tolerate a darker growing condition, but will really flourish in full, blazing sun.
At the end of summer, spray a soapy mixture (Safer insecticide soap) twice before bringing the plant in for the winter. You will have no aphids hitchhiking inside.
jay dee
I checked my two scheff bonsai today when I put them outside to sunbathe. One has new foliage coming out of the root area and one doesn't. I am getting ready to cut both of these back severely when it is time to put them out for the summer. This cutting back will encourage new growth and the leaves will be noticeably smaller (desired in bonsai) but by the end of summer, back to normal size leaves once again.
Scheff are full sun plants, the hotter the better. A hosta will tolerate and grow, slowly, in all shade, but they do better in partial sun. The Scheff will tolerate a darker growing condition, but will really flourish in full, blazing sun.
At the end of summer, spray a soapy mixture (Safer insecticide soap) twice before bringing the plant in for the winter. You will have no aphids hitchhiking inside.
jay dee